The Moluccan Evangelical Church in Breda lost almost 40,000 euros last year due to a chat trick. A fake bank employee managed to get the pin code of several cards from the treasurer over the telephone. And when another ’employee’ then collected those passes, the huge amount had disappeared within an hour. Justice is sure that the only 19-year-old Patrick van D. from Drunen has done this.
The woman responsible for the finances of the Moluccan church turned out to be quite impressed in court by what happened to her last year. She feels guilty because she feels she has betrayed the trust of the church. She also doesn’t trust anyone since she was heavily scammed and she still feels anxious, for example when the phone rings.
Issue PINs
On February 19, 2022, she received a call from someone who said he was an associate of the ‘International Bank Fraud’. He said that hundreds of attempts had already been made to hack into the accounts of the church and her. Quick action was required and for that the lady had to give the pin codes. Another employee of the bank would come to get the cards.
Within an hour after the ’employee’ had collected the cards, almost 40,000 euros had disappeared. Transferred to DIY companies or debited at the ATM on the Koningin Emmasingel in Breda.
‘Suspect on camera images’
And the person who uses those cards there on February 19, 2022, is Patrick van D, according to the public prosecutor. According to the judiciary, he was there again on February 24 to withdraw money from another victim. In that case about 6700 euros.
The suspect strongly denied in court on Friday that he can be seen on the images of the ATM. He admitted that he was filmed once in Gouda in 2021 with a stolen pass at an ATM, but that was a completely different matter. He also indicated that he had done many bad things in recent years, but that that dark period was now behind him.
‘Well-oiled machine’
However, the file contains photos of many suspicious debit card transactions throughout the Netherlands, in which, according to several detectives, Patrick van D. can always be seen. Characteristics of his face, such as a prominent pimple or birthmark on his forehead, a similar coat or shoes, all indicate that he is part of a ‘well-oiled machine’ that makes money with chat tricks.
In October, Patrick would even have been photographed by the daughter of a potential victim in Kaatsheuvel. The daughter did not trust her mother’s banking story and quickly drove to her house. A young man was standing in the front yard, who fled when the daughter took a photo. It was Patrick van D. who just wanted to ring the bell, according to the judiciary on the basis of his stature and especially his jacket, which was already in the picture.
‘Meager evidence’
Patrick van D.’s lawyer thought the evidence was all a bit thin. There is nothing linking him to these cases, she argued. “Nothing has been found on him, there are no phone records that link him to anything, all the photos are too vague. And just the same coat is not enough.”
The prosecutor knew better, he said. Jeffrey van D. should be punished for defrauding people with a chat trick or for withdrawing money from someone’s account. He demanded 71 days in prison, who has already been held in custody by D.. And a community service of 180 hours.
In addition to this punishment, the officer demanded on behalf of the victims that Van D. pay for the damage suffered. In all, tens of thousands of euros have been lost, which have not been reimbursed by a bank or insurance.
The verdict is in two weeks.